CONCERT REVIEW; SECRET MACHINES

Concert Review: Secret Machines
Irving Plaza
October 2, 2006

For nearly two hours, New York City’s Secret Machines reached for outer space, and took a packed house at Irving Plaza with them.

The band’s brand of psych-pop trippiness is largely unique. Critics constantly compare the sound to Pink Floyd, but there is much more to it. Taking cues from kraut-rockers Neu!, Led Zeppelin’s stomp, the aforementioned Pink Floyd, and U2’s stadium pop, Secret Machines, on record, create a sound matchless by anyone else.

When performing live, they are unearthly. The sound is so loud, so mesmerizing, and so enchanting, one cannot hear, understand or move for days.

The show was the first of a North American tour in which the band plays “in the round.” This refers to the band’s stage setup, which features a cylindrical metal apparatus with large and small lights, huge stacks of speakers, smaller ones for the people next to the stage, three platforms for the band members (guitar, keys/bass, drums), pedals and monitors everywhere. Between the members were four huge light pods, which shone bright with the highs and lows of the performance.

For 45 minutes, an opening act stood above a laptop on one of the stage platforms. Using his laptop, and a pedal or two for effects, he created a spacey, ambient soundscape that sounded quite boring at times, and exciting at others. At first, it seemed like he was testing the speakers, and not a performer, but after the lights were turned onto him, it was quite obvious that he was the opening act. He never announced his name, or any form of identification.

For a half hour, the stage stood dark. No filler music filled the hall. People were contemplative, waiting with bated breath, stretching to see if the band was coming on stage soon.

Then the Secret Machines took to the stage to thunderous applause. They opened with one of the songs of their debut EP, September 000 “What Used to be French.” The song began with pulsing bass chords played by keyboardist/bassist Brandon Curtis; he made the venue’s floor vibrate, and the crowd was instantly involved. Drummer Josh Garza began pounding the skins of the drums as if he was going to punch through them like piñata paper. Guitarist Ben Curtis (Brandon’s brother) appeared more animated than ever before.

The set was an extremely short two hours, including a 30-minute encore. They played songs, old and new, with most being off their latest release Ten Silver Drops. As with all their performances, the band noodled around and jammed off of the main song, much to the delight of the enthralled and mystified crowd. Songs normally five or six minutes would be over ten, eight or nine minute songs fifteen, and so on.

As with any live set, there were a few minor mishaps, mostly related to technological problems. For example, in order to play “Lightning Blue Eyes” Brandon Curtis requires a bass, and it was in substandard condition. It rendered him unable to play the song in its original form; rather he played the notes instead of thicker-sounding chords.

The power and riveting nature of the music is indescribable. One must experience it in order to feel the encompassing wall of sound put forth by the band while performing live.